Dog Monitor Blog

Dogs and Livestock

Most of us see dogs primarily like pets that we take care of and that are our companions. But there are also many dogs trained to do some job and help humans. We can divide dogs according to the reason for which they are bred. There are dogs bred for appearance, usually to win a conformation show, and then there are dogs bred for the ability to do some task. In the second case, we are talking about guide dogs, rescue dogs, guard dogs, herding dogs and many other. In this article, we are going to focus on herding dogs and guard dogs, and on their relationship with other animals.

Herding and Guard Dogs

Farm dogs such as herding dog and guard dog can be very helpful to farmers in daily routine. For centuries people were breeding and training dogs to do different tasks. Today these breeds are not used only on farms, but they also became pets. When the herding dog becomes a pet it is necessary to pay attention to his herding instincts especially while having kids around. On the other hand, if you need a good herding dog you have to dedicate a lot of time to proper training and support these natural instincts. The main purpose of herding dog is to help to move the flock. Unlike the guard dogs, herding dogs see the livestock more as a prey and by staring in the eyes, gripping and chasing they manage to control the flock. Guard dogs are usually bigger breeds that help to protect the flock from predators. They are mostly raised with the livestock so they feel to be a member of the flock and have protective instincts.

Which Breeds Are Suitable?

Herding dogs don’t have to be necessarily big dogs. Sometimes small dogs can even have an advantage because they can easily avoid being kicked by the animal. On the other hand, small guard dogs can also become a prey while guarding the livestock and it is recommended to choose a bigger breed. The most popular herding dog is probably Border Collie, but there are also others Australian Cattle Dog, Belgian Shepherd, German Shepherd, Old English Sheepdog, Rottweiler or Welsh Corgi. Dog breeds used for guarding purposes are mostly Anatolian Shepherd, Great Pyrenees, Komondor, Maremma Sheepdog or Mastiff.